Twining Transformations
by Regal Baring
Summary: When forced to take a botched potion of Neville's, Harry is transformed into his animagus state for 6 months. Now he has to stay with Snape, and finds out more about himself and his enemy than he ever realized. (Sexual content, HP SS pairing)
1. The Transformation

**Title**: Twining Transformations  
  
**Author**: S.Malfoy  
  
**Disclaimer**: These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).  
  
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.  
  
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**Chapter 1**  
  
_The Transformation_  
  
_October_  
  
"Mr. Longbottom," Professor Severus Snape sighed, "once again you have managed to mess up a simple transformation potion."  
  
No one was especially surprised at the revelation, as Neville's experiment had turned black and puffed an especially noxious cloud of purple.  
  
"I'm sure it turned out okay," Harry whispered to Ron, trying to give Neville some quiet support.  
  
"Okay, Mr. Potter? How can it be okay when the rest of the class has a calm and turquoise colored potion, and Mr. Longbottom has the exact opposite?" Snape asked, striding to stand menacingly over the frame of Harry Potter.  
  
_ Seventh year in Potions, and I still am intimidated_, Harry groaned silently, while glaring outwardly at the Potions Master with a scarlet blush.  
  
"It doesn't seem that bad..." Harry trailed, trying to discourage the evil glare Snape was sending his way.  
  
"_That bad_? That bad?" Snape asked incredulously. When Harry looked over at the potion, he knew it was a weak excuse. It was a color resembling pitch black darkness, bubbling and burping great heaves of violet smoke.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter? If you're so sure of the accuracy of Mr. Longbottom's potion, how about a taste test?" The moment Snape spoke, the potion coughed and spit out the ladle that sat dormant in the cauldron.  
  
"Well..." Harry stalled. He didn't really _want_ to take the potion, but he couldn't lose face in front of the _Slytherins_. "Fine," he mumbled. "I'll do it."  
  
Conscious of the dumbfounded stares he was receiving from all of his classmates, including Neville, he walked cautiously over to the bubbling cauldron.  
  
"You don't have to do this Harry," Neville whispered brokenly beside him. "I know I screwed it up."  
  
"Don't worry Neville, I have faith in you," Harry said, patting Neville's back before scooping up a new ladle that had replaced the one spit out of the cauldron.  
  
Scooping up the bubbling, burping potion, he waited a moment for it to cool before holding his nose and throwing it down his throat.  
  
For a moment nothing happened. "See? It's OK..." Harry said hopefully.  
  
The next moment, black and purple smoke began swirling dramatically around Harry's body before disappearing and revealing a pile of clothing and nesting in the middle was an elegant eagle preening its feathers. It had pitch black feathers, an enormous wing span, its beak a deep ebony color, and its claws filled with razor sharp talons. The only color visibly seen was the shocking white lightening bolt slashes across its forehead and dipping between its serpent-like yellow eyes. Letting out a high pitched screech it flew upwards to land on the shoulder of the Potions professor.  
  
The class let out a shocked gasp at both the stunning transformation and the movement of the bird to sit upon the broad shoulders of the mean- spirited teacher.  
  
Neville whimpered in fear at both turning Harry into a bird and the repercussions that it involved – his housemates were going to kill him for sure. His lips trembled and he tried valiantly to keep the tears at bay. "I'm sorry Harry," he squeaked, twisting his chubby hands together.  
  
"Mr. Longbottom, please try to control yourself. The potion worked perfectly," Snape said smoothly, silencing the whole class who had broken out into excited murmurs.  
  
"W-w-what?" Neville stuttered, amazed his potion could do something like that to Harry.  
  
"Look, Potty really is a bird-brain," Malfoy interrupted, snorting with laughter, and pointing at the bird resting comfortably on Snape's shoulders.  
  
Harry, hearing the comment lunged from his perch and grabbed a hold of Malfoy's finger, chomping hard and dangling from the appendage. With a sickening crunch, the finger came off in his beak, and Harry fell to the floor victoriously. The class, horrified by the blood squirting out of his missing finger, collapsed to the ground as a whole except for Hermione, Crabbe, and Goyle. Malfoy gave one shriek before fainting himself.  
  
Snape leaned down, and taking the finger away from Harry's beak, held it out to Goyle. "Please take Mr. Malfoy and his finger to Madame Pomfrey."  
  
Goyle only nodded dumbly, and hoisting Malfoy over his shoulder, left the room with Draco's finger.  
  
When the class re-awakened they were relieved to find all of the mess gone.  
  
"Now, as I was saying...you did indeed do a transformation potion, but instead of using the hibiscus seeds, you used the flowers, Mr. Longbottom. And when you put the flowers in, you had diced them horizontally instead of vertically. And then when you stirred the potion, instead of a figure eight, you stirred it clockwise. So congratulations on performing the 'Transfiguration Transformation', but you get no marks for the assignment. Class dismissed, and please inform your Head of House to come see me, Mr. Longbottom." With that little speech finished, he calmly lifted the bird off of his shoulders onto his forearm and held the eagle out for inspection.  
  
"Well, isn't that curious," he muttered, poking at the ruffled breastbone of the bird.  
  
"What's curious?" Hermione Granger asked hesitantly and the loyal sidekick, Ron Weasley, at her side, as the rest of the class hurriedly shuffled out.  
  
"The fact that Harry will remain a bird for six months," Snape smirked.  
  
"Oh no! Now Harry will never have enough time to study for his N.E.W.T.S!" Hermione cried, looking at the bird held regally on the outstretched arm.  
  
"Exactly. And he has his own stupidity to thank for that," Snape said, disgusted.  
  
"Well, you were the one-" Ron began heatedly, but was cut off by an elbow from Hermione.  
  
"You were saying?" Snape asked silkily, his voice lowering dangerously.  
  
"Nothing," he mumbled, looking away.  
  
"That's right," he said softly, unconsciously petting the bird that was beginning to make its way back onto his shoulder.  
  
Hermione withheld her gasp, watching the play between Harry the bird and her professor.  
  
"Come on Ron, we have to go tell Dumbledore," she said abruptly, turning to leave without another word.  
  
The bird let out a shrill call before sitting silently on its perch on the Potions Master.  
  
--------------------  
  
"Ah, Professor Snape. So good of you to come quickly," Albus Dumbledore said gently, motioning for him to take a seat. "Lemon drop?" Albus offered congenially, holding the box tin outstretched.  
  
"No, thank you," Snape murmured.  
  
Fawkes awoke at that moment, and noting the bird still sitting docilely on Snape's shoulder, let out a shrill greeting. Leaping into the air, it flapped its way cautiously over to the Phoenix's perch, careful not to knock Severus in the head in his flight. The resulting wind of air from the eagle's large wingspan was enough to blow Snape's hair backward and Albus' beard over his shoulder.  
  
Dumbledore watched the bird carefully. "Is he alright?" he asked his Potions Master quietly.  
  
The bird, seeming to hear the question, let out a small trill, and turned his head to Fawkes, communicating silently through eye contact.  
  
"I think he just answered for himself," Snape replied stiffly, for some reason missing the weight on his shoulder, though he tried desperately to squelch the feeling.  
  
"How long will he stay like that?" Dumbledore questioned, returning his attention to Snape.  
  
"Until April at the earliest," he said, running his eyes over his feathered student. "I've already tested one of the feathers, to make sure, while Minerva was present."  
  
"There is no way to alter the potion?"  
  
"Of course not. If there had been, I would have done so already," Snape snapped briskly.  
  
"Hmm. I heard a curious recounting of the tale from Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger earlier. Care to comment?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes resuming their trademark twinkle.  
  
"Mr. Potter had to learn the foolishness of depending on his friends to closely. If he continues to do so, with such blinded faith, it could one day get him killed," Snape snarled, his hands clenching around the seat handles.  
  
"Caw?" the bird asked, tilting his head quizzically at the Potions Master.  
  
"Of course...but if he trusts no one then how will that help him?" Albus questioned, trailing off.  
  
Severus squirmed guiltily in his chair but raised his chin in defiance, staying silent.  
  
"I find his transformation quite intriguing indeed," Albus said with a small smile playing about his lips while he fiddled with his beard, changing the subject.  
  
"There is nothing strange about it," Severus said with a sniff.  
  
"If you say so Severus," Albus murmured. He turned his head and met the gaze of the newly changed Harry and smiled sadly. Harry hopped off of the perch and crawled along the desktop to sit in front of Albus, playing with the white beard that fell across the glossy albeit cluttered top, soothing hums emitting from his throat.  
  
Albus smiled gently, and ran his fingers through the feathers of the black eagle in front of him. "He shall have to stay with you of course," Albus said, his voice implacable.  
  
"Oh, but surely the Owlery would be fine..." Severus started to argue, but fell silent when the blue eyes that looked at him hardened slightly.  
  
"Outside is too dangerous for Harry. He will be protected at all costs."  
  
"Yes, Headmaster."  
  
--------------------  
  
Severus was given a perch, a food dish and water bowl, and various toys for Harry's entertainment while down in the dungeons. While in bird form, the chilly dampness did not seem to irritate the bird, nor did it seem to think much about living underground.  
  
"Of course I get saddled with his stupidity. I'm punished for his mistakes, as usual, the insolent brat. That conniving..." his voice slipped into low mumbling while Harry watched curiously from the upper rafters of the dungeon.  
  
Harry chuckled gleefully at the irate Potions Master, and looking longingly at the door, fluttered down to his perch. Severus happened to be standing close by, and the wind ruffled his gleaming hair – though whether it was just silky or really greasy, only Harry would ever know.  
  
"Git," Severus muttered childishly.  
  
"Pat," the bird returned.  
  
"What did you call me?" Severus turned, looking wrathfully at the bird.  
  
"Caw?" it asked quizzically, making his eyes widely innocent.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Severus screeched, sounding amazingly like a bird for a moment, before blushing at his own foolishness.  
  
The bird huffed in silent laughter, before grabbing a rubber snake in its mouth and tearing it apart with his beak and talons.  
  
--------------------  
  
It was an odd sight indeed to see Harry perched upon the shoulder of their professor at each Potion's Class, but no body dared to say a word.  
  
Draco tried to stay as far away as possible from the bird, shuddering each time he even laid eyes upon the attack eagle. He still moaned about the scar he had on the knuckle of his index finger from where it had fallen off.  
  
Harry would sit calmly throughout all the mayhem, and even enjoyed the mutual feeling of power Snape radiated. He took pleasure the billowing entrances they made, with either Harry sitting on his shoulder imperiously or following Snape from behind, his wing tips grazing the doorway.  
  
After one of the many Potion classes, Hermione and Ron stayed behind, walking up to the desk where Snape sat, hunched over his grading and Harry sat on the desk, as still as a statue.  
  
"Caw," Harry greeted, his head dipping in a nod.  
  
"Heya Harry," Ron greeted, petting him on his feathered head.  
  
"What do you want?" Snape asked bluntly, setting aside his quill for a brief moment to give them both an Evil Glare.  
  
"Professor Snape, we were wondering why Harry can't stay up in the Gryffindor dormitories anymore."  
  
"Because it would not be safe for him, as per Headmaster Dumbledore's orders," Snape answered shortly.  
  
"But I'm sure Harry wants to be in the Gryffindor towers, don't you Harry?" Ron asked.  
  
Harry the bird blanched as three set of eyes were upon him.  
  
"Tweet?" he asked with a shrug.  
  
"He cannot, it is out of the question. Now get out of my classroom if you want a detention, both of you," he ordered menacingly, pointing towards the archway.  
  
Silent eyes watched their hasty retreat before dark met yellow. The bird causally shrugged at the glance and went back to preening his feathers, settling on his perch at the corner of Snape's desk. Severus stared at the bird for a moment, before shaking his head and getting back to his work.  
  
--------------------  
  
"I don't know why I even bother," Snape muttered, shivering in his cloak at the frosty air. "It's not like he appreciates anything I do for him, the idiot boy."  
  
Overhead, a black shadow flew freely in the sky, the moonlight highlighting the lightening bolt on the bird's forehead, the rest of it cloaked in darkness.  
  
Though Severus would never admit it, Harry's animagus form was one of beauty and awe, one that he wished he could take part in.  
  
Looking around, he thought to himself, _and why not? It's not like anyone is going to be outside at midnight!_ And with that, he concentrated hard – as not many Potion Masters ever mastered the animagi transformation; his robes dropped to his feet and his pale skin turning into iridescent white feathers, his eyes as black as the surrounding darkness and his talons the color of pale gold.  
  
Fluttering upwards, he met the eyes of the eagle, and only dipped his head, floating lazily in the brisk night air with a shadow following behind.  
  
--------------------  
  
A/N: TBC 


	2. The Agreement

**Title**: Twining Transformations  
  
**NOTE**: These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).  
  
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.  
  
--------------------  
  
**Chapter 2**  
  
_The Agreement  
_

_Halloween Feast_  
  
"Tweet?" Harry asked pleadingly.  
  
"Oh all right, but remember, any mess on my robes and I won't hesitate to throw another ladle at your head."  
  
"Caw!" Harry cried triumphantly, preening and glossing his feathers quickly before settling on his customary spot on Snape's shoulder.  
  
Entering the Great Hall was a sight to behold. Decked out in his customary black robes billowing behind him, Snape had a sneer firmly in place with a dark eyebrow cocked and his snarling teeth gleaming. His hair, recently washed, blended in surprisingly well with the darkened feathers of the eagle sitting proudly on his shoulder.  
  
Harry's yellow eyes took in the gaping mouths, his bird chuckle sounding like a choking cat coughing up a hairball. It only made the two of them look more evil.  
  
Snape took his seat at the teacher's table in the front of the Great Hall, his students glaring malevolently at the bird seated on the table near his folded hands. Dumbledore twinkled in delight at the two forced companions before clapping his hands twice together. The food immediately burst onto the table, and the students soon forgot the picture the two had made upon entrance.  
  
"What do you want?" Snape asked, glaring down into the yellow eyes of the eagle.  
  
"Ish," the bird mumbled.  
  
Snape smirked at the answer. He knew the bird had a hard time pronouncing even the most basic words, and he delighted in teasing the boy- turned-bird to no end.  
  
"I'm sorry, I couldn't quite understand that," he mocked.  
  
"I believe he meant 'fish'," Professor Vector supplied helpfully beside Severus.  
  
Snape glared at the help. Vector shrugged and turned away.  
  
"And how would you like the fish cooked, bird? Raw, boiled, fried-"  
  
He was cut off by Harry's answer. "Caw," he tried.  
  
"That was not one of the-" he began again, but the bird interrupted a second time.  
  
"C-r-Raw," he stuttered, and immediately in front of the bird a plate of salmon appeared.  
  
"Twerp!" he whooped and dug his beak deeply into the raw entrails of the fish. Splatters of blood and guts were thrown into the air and many students –as well as teachers- paused to behold the scene of the ravaging eagle. Many felt slightly queasy at the picture, and could feel the food they had only recently digested rumble discouragingly in their stomachs. Various fish organs flew into the air, and chunk of fat even landed indelicately far down the table onto Dumbledore's floppy hat. An especially large tube of intestine landed into Snape's lap.  
  
Harry paused and withdrew from the carcass, gulping a chunk of meat and looking at his handy-work before noticing that a piece he had missed that had fallen into Snape's lap. He dove down, his talons digging into Severus' legs for a grip and beak yanking at the organ. Startled, Severus attempted to push the bird away, making it close its beak tightly in a valiant effort to stay aboard his lap. Unfortunately, his beak also closed around another organ that was _not_ a part of the fish.  
  
Snape's howl echoed off the rafters and the students watched in abject horror as he leaped into the air, knocking the bird astray and running from the Great Hall, his hand protectively covering his privates. The student body burst into laughter at the retreating figure and went back to their dinners and conversations. The Slytherins only looked confused at the inelegant receding figure of their Head of House, and a certain blonde began plotting revenge.  
  
Shrugging his little bird shoulders, Harry fluttered from the Head Table to land coolly next to Ron, stealing a chicken wing from his plate.  
  
"Hullo Harry," Ron greeted, stuffing his face full of mashed potatoes and a bread roll simultaneously.  
  
"Hi Harry," Hermione said, never once looking up from the large tome propped up in front of her plate.  
  
"Caw," Harry replied politely, motioning his head towards a chalice of pumpkin juice. Ron obligingly set one down next to the bird, watching in fascination as the bird delicately flicked his dark tongue into the juice.  
  
He soon went back to stealing from Ron's plate until he got the hint to make a plate for Harry, and his plate was left alone after that.  
  
"Harry, I'm so sorry," Neville began to apologize, but Harry clucked his tongue together in a soothing fashion, and all was forgiven.  
  
"Still, it's too bad you can't stay in the dorm rooms with the rest of us," Ron said, a piece of gravy dripping from his chin.  
  
"Caw," Harry said, commiserating with his best friend.  
  
No one else mentioned Harry's dramatic entrance with Snape, nor were they allowed to ask if Snape really slept in the nude – Hermione had threatened and cajoled them into silence. Dean slapped a hand over Seamus' mouth, leading him away from the group. Harry would have blushed if he would have been asked the latter question – he had once slyly snuck into Severus' bedroom one night and, before being rudely thrown out, had found out the answer 'in the flesh', so to speak. He had stayed awake the entire night reliving the moment of unveiling...  
  
Poppers and crackers soon went off, startling Harry, and candy showering from the enchanted ceiling. While the other students were grabbing as much candy as possible, Harry waited impatiently before leaping upwards and catching a bat in mid-swoop.  
  
As the students began filing down the hallway, Harry let out a screech of goodbye to his friends and headed towards the dungeons.  
  
He surreptitiously entered through the bird door Dumbledore had installed, and unsuspecting of an attack, was knocked unconscious by a ladle thrown at his head.  
  
--------------------  
  
Weeks passed, and from October they descended into November, and Harry spent all of his time with Snape in the dungeons. They waited patiently – and some, not so patiently - until the nights when they were free to fly together in the deep, cold nights.  
  
Only one set of eyes observed the tentative tradition formed by the two, and an indelible air of sadness and hope was stamped into the weakened blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. The freedom they enjoyed was a stolen, forbidden fruit; the black and the white eagles soaring underneath the understanding moonlight, freedom to express the feelings neither portrayed in actions during the harsh light of day.  
  
The only color to be highlighted in the black bird was the white lightening bolt that slashed across its forehead, while the gleaming white feathers of the second eagle contrasted sharply against the Dark Mark etched on the inside of its left wing.  
  
Dumbledore sighed, turning away from the window to gaze upon the tensionless face of his mistress that lay so peacefully on his pillow.  
  
"Minerva..." he whispered into the silent bedroom. "How I long for this strife to be over..."  
  
--------------------  
  
_November – after Thanksgiving_  
  
"Harry, we are going into Hogsmeade today!" Ron cried happily eating his breakfast, and sitting next to the dark-hued bird.  
  
"Caw," Harry said glumly.  
  
"What's wrong Harry?" Hermione asked gently, forgetting for a moment that Harry couldn't speak. Two sets of eyes turned incredulously to look at her.  
  
"Sorry, I forgot," she mumbled, blushing furiously.  
  
"Eep," Harry said, a coo emerging from his throat in the equivalent of a sigh.  
  
They were all silent for a moment, before Hermione suddenly brightened. "Hey, I have an idea! I just learned this nifty little spell that Professor Flitwick taught me. It allows the user to see pictures presented in the mind when the person is unable to speak. It's usually used for persons that are mute...but I'm sure it would be useful in Harry's case as well, since he does have a human mind..." Hermione said thoughtfully, her voice trailing off as her mind worked furiously.  
  
"Tweet?" Harry asked, his yellow eyes gleaming in curiosity.  
  
"Yes, I think it will work!" she said happily. "Come one, lets go to the dorms and we can test it out," she said, while Ron desperately tried to down the rest of his breakfast.  
  
Harry settled on Hermione's shoulder, playing with the frizzy hair as they climbed the multiple sets of stairs to the Gryffindor common room.  
  
"Jeez Harry, you need to lose some weight," Hermione muttered, struggling to hold on to her books.  
  
"Twerp!" Harry called, and his cry had a hurt tone. He leaped into the air and with a giant whoosh of air, ruffling her kinky hair, and circled lazily before disappearing up the stairs. Ron and Hermione looked at each other, rolling their eyes.  
  
When they finally managed to catch up to the bird it was outside of the dorm room, Harry sitting calmly on the step, his eyes widened innocently.  
  
"Caw-erp?" he asked.  
  
"Blimey Harry, it's not our fault we can't fly," Ron moaned, holding onto his stuffed and bloated stomach.  
  
"Eep," he replied, motioning his head towards the Fat Lady.  
  
"Bird brain," Hermione said, and with a startled huff Harry crawled into the open doorway.  
  
Ron snickered, saying only, "It was Seamus who wanted to change the password to that."  
  
Harry shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the back of the couch they had always liked to congregate on.  
  
Hermione took out her wand, giving a few practice flicks before pronouncing she was ready. She stood before the back of the couch while Ron lounged on the cushions in front of the fire.  
  
"_Animus patesco_," she murmured, tapping Harry on the lightening bolt that slashed across his forehead.  
  
Where her wand was pressed against Harry's skull a picture floated into clarity above his feathered head, still faintly translucent, and it showed a picture of what was currently being seen in Harry's mind.  
  
Ron gaped at the picture before him, and noticed that as his mouth fell open it was reflected in the tiny screen.  
  
"It worked!" Hermione cried, and it was pantomimed in the picture. "Now, show us what ever you want to say."  
  
A visual picture of how Harry looked popped into play on the screen, and as he opened his mouth to speak...nothing happened.  
  
"Hmm...that's odd," Hermione said, tapping her finger against her cheek while leaving her wand connected to Harry's forehead. "It must be because he does not have a human form right now, and so he can't speak in human tongue," she finally concluded after a few moments of silence.  
  
"You'll have to find another way of speaking then, Harry," Ron said from where he was lounging lazily on the couch.  
  
The picture showed tiny gears turning as Harry thought about how he should tell them what he wanted. Ron snorted, and Harry glared, a brief picture flashing across the screen depicting Ron falling flat on his face on the ground. Ron was so surprised he did just that.  
  
A coughing, wheezing chuckle emerged from the bird's throat while Ron picked himself up fitfully from the ground.  
  
Suddenly, an idea came to Harry – the picture shimmered briefly before an image of Harry, in human form, sat at a desk writing on a piece of parchment, before he held it up for visual inspection from Hermione.  
  
_I want to go to Hogsmeade today with you._  
  
"Oh, Harry, I don't know, it seems rather dangerous!" Hermione said crossly.  
  
"Hey, Harry can go if he wants to. He's not a prisoner," Ron retaliated, forgetting his former humiliation for a moment.  
  
_I need to buy some Christmas presents._  
  
"Oh, Harry," Hermione said again, this time sadly.  
  
"Blimey Harry, why didn't you say so before?" Ron asked, grinning broadly.  
  
_ I need your help purchasing them for me. And I need some ideas on getting a present for Severus_, the picture of Harry scribbled madly before holding the scroll up.  
  
"Severus?" Ron cried. "Yuk, that's just wrong! When did you start using that name?"  
  
"Why do you want to get a present for Professor Snape?" Hermione questioned softly.  
  
The picture of Harry thought hard for a moment before writing, I_ need to give him something to repay him back for his hospitality. Besides, I bet he hardly ever gets presents...everyone wants presents.  
_  
They were all quiet for a moment, and Harry knew they were thinking about all the years he went without any gifts with the Dursleys. He shrugged his wings, looking away from the pity shining in their eyes.  
  
_It's a nice thing to do.  
_  
"Why would you want to be nice to _Snape_?" Ron asked hotly, his eyes flashing with suppressed rage.  
  
The picture of Harry only looked at him with quiet eyes.  
  
"It's OK Harry, we'll help you. We're going this afternoon," Hermione said. Harry bobbed his head briefly, separating his forehead from Hermione's wand, and moved, settling closer to the fire and preening his feathers.  
  
--------------------  
  
A/N: I hope my Latin works ok, I had to look it up in a dictionary, and I don't know how to conjugate.  
  
**animus** : character, intellect, memory, consciousness, often = mind.

**patesco** : to be laid open, bare, exposed, to be revealed.  
  
More to come...dun dun dun. What will Harry get Snape for Christmas? Only time shall tell!


	3. Gift Shopping

**Title**: Twining Transformations  
  
**Author**: S.Malfoy  
  
**NOTE**: These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).  
  
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.  
  
**NOTE 2**: Thanks to all the reviews for such wonderful comments! Your enthusiasm has surprised and delighted me!  
  
--------------------  
  
**Chapter 3**

_Gift Shopping  
_Harry escaped from the dungeons through the little entryway that opened specifically for Harry's animagi form. He heard Severus muttering from the potions lab, and gave a decidedly evil grin.  
  
All the students third year and above that were allowed to go to Hogsmeade – and wanted to- had already left, and Harry was sneakily enjoying the subterfuge of escaping from Hogwarts.  
  
Dumbledore happened to pass Harry at that moment and Harry turned his head, his face set into an innocent mask.  
  
"Harry, if you're going to venture outside today, I would only suggest you be extremely careful," he warned with a twinkle in his eye before moving on down the elegant hallway, his flamboyant robes dragging on the ground behind him.  
  
Harry cackled gleefully. _I'm home free!_ He sailed through the Entrance doors and flapped excitedly into the air. His newly sharpened eyesight kept a lookout for the town while he floated lazily on the air currents taking him closer and closer to his destination.  
  
Harry's yellow eyes sharpened as he noticed Ron's flame red hair and the shorter form of Hermione next to him standing in an empty alleyway. Letting out a brilliant squawk he drifted in a downward spiral until he settled on Ron's shoulder.  
  
"_Animus patesco_," Hermione murmured, tapping the lightening bolt.  
  
A picture of Harry standing in front of a particular potions store called _The Dungeon Master Beware_ was shown and they obligingly led the way. They quickly exited the alleyway and scampered down the road, not stopping to chat with the house members that waved towards them.  
  
When they entered the dark storeroom there was only one other person occupying the rows and rows of unidentifiable jars of dead –or painfully alive- objects.  
  
"Can I help you?" croaked a voice directly behind them. They all started, turning to face the old shopkeeper.  
  
"Uh, we're just going to browse," Hermione said. The other two only nodded, never taking their eyes off of the man.  
  
The old man hocked and spat on the floor, his dark brown eyes surveying them, noting the money belt strapped to the side of Ron and the proud eagle sitting docilely on the red head's shoulders. His dark eyes nearly crossed when they viewed the white lightening bolt slash across the bird's forehead but he didn't say anything. He only turned and limped away, back hunched in what looked like a painful manner, towards the other customer that was standing impatiently at the cash register.  
  
"Did you have any idea what you wanted to get-" Ron paused and gulped, "_him_?"  
  
The bird shook his head mutely, his eyes pleading.  
  
"Well, we'll just take a look around then, shall we?" Hermione suggested, and they began to comb over the rows and shelves of potion goods. Each time Hermione or Ron pointed out something, Harry only shook his head in denial. _I want something that no one would have ever been able to give him,_ Harry though with determination.  
  
When the store had emptied of everyone but the two students, one bird, and shopkeeper, the old man watched them for a silent moment.  
  
Harry again shook his head at the trapped dragon lung sitting in a bottled jar, faintly disgusted but slightly interested in whether it was edible or not.  
  
"Who are you looking to buy for?" the old man asked huskily after a few minutes of uneasy silence.  
  
The two friends looked towards the bird for permission, and he hesitantly bobbed his head in admission.  
  
"Professor Snape," Ron growled, his voice filled with disgust.  
  
"Ahh," he said slowly, his eyes locking onto those of Harry's. They seemed to come to some agreement, and he motioned them to the back room.  
  
They were led into a dusty room, filled with crates of howling, squealing, and bleeding boxes, and Hermione wrinkled her nose in dismay.  
  
"Yuk," Ron groaned when he stepped into a foul smelling yellow vomit coloured puddle of liquid.  
  
The man ignored the both of them, instead searching frantically through the boxes on the high shelves lining the sides of the wall. "Where did I put it..." he mumbled, shoving various boxes out of the way.  
  
Harry watched, trembling in anticipation, as the man cried "Ah-ha!" standing up and holding a tiny box in his hands.  
  
"This is an extremely valuable piece that I've been holding onto for a very long time," he began, limping towards Harry with it held in his cupped palms. Harry looked into the tiny cave formed by the man's rough hands, and figured it to be a tiny ring box. He looked up into the man's dark eyes, his interest piqued.  
  
"It's called the Ring of the Serpent Tongue," he whispered dramatically. "It allows the wearer to speak and understand the language of the snake."  
  
Harry's eyes widened, his body wavering tremulously in excitement on Ron's shoulder.  
  
"It seems an odd object to be in a potions store," Ron said doubtfully.  
  
The man only glared at him balefully, and turned to the other two still watching in agitated silence. "It was said to be made by Salazar Slytherin himself, given to his wife as a gift of love."  
  
Hermione sighed while Ron grunted in repugnance. "Yeah, right. Like a Slytherin would ever know what love was," he mumbled.  
  
Harry hissed at Ron while the old man glared, and startled at the sound next to his ear, Ron jumped about two feet into the air. Harry leaped away, settling on a box closer to the old man, his head turned so that his eye was centered on the ring.  
  
Ron turned his back on the pair fuming disgustedly and dropped the heavy money bag in Hermione's hands, stalking away angrily out of the store without a word.  
  
Harry paid his retreating figure no attention, looking over the ring. _It was gorgeous_, he had to admit. It was pure, smooth, shining silver inlaid with emerald gems and encrusted with diamonds. A particularly large emerald was in the center, and the vague image of a serpent twisted wildly inside, constantly moving.  
  
"The snake trapped inside will always move, supposedly searching for its mate, and will only stop when it has finally found its match. But, of course, it will always allow its wearer to speak and understand Parsletongue," the man soothed, noticing Harry's eye jerked back towards him. "It just forms greater powers when matched with a mate."  
  
"I don't know Harry-" Hermione began, but Harry nodded his head eagerly. He knew that speaking his ability Parsletongue had always been a sore point to Severus – this would make them equals at last.  
  
"How much?" Hermione asked, sighing at the impenetrable look on Harry's bird face.  
  
"For Harry Potter? Two hundred and fifteen galleons," the old man said, his tone betraying he was being generous.  
  
"Harry! That's too much money!" Hermione said, looking desperately at her friend.  
  
Harry motioned his head towards her wand, indicating he wished to 'speak'. Hermione gingerly cast the spell once again, her wand tip pressed against his forehead again.  
  
The picture of Harry scribbled madly on a piece of parchment, bouncing up and down in excitement. He held it up for inspection in front of Hermione and the shopkeeper.  
  
_ Give him all that's in the bag now as a down-payment. He will receive the rest of it by next week. In the bag there are 52 galleons, and Hagrid will go to Gringotts for me to get the rest!  
_  
The old shopkeeper nodded and said, "I will hold it here until I receive the rest, and then you will have the gift.  
  
_How did you know I was Harry Potter?_ The boy wrote after a thoughtful moment, his head tilted curiously.  
  
"The savior of the wizarding world could never hide his power in the form of a bird," the old man scoffed, waving his hand, dismissing the question as preposterous.  
  
Hermione and Harry only stared in amazement, and Harry was faintly relieved the man only assumed it was a disguise.  
  
They made the final arrangements and exited the store, Hermione stepping into the bright sunlight and Harry settled on her shoulder. Ron was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Well, that was lucky," Hermione said quietly. "We found it in the first store we went to. Kind of scary if you ask me."  
  
"Caw," he agreed with an inward sigh. Harry shrugged apologetically at his friend and took off into the air with a great flap of his wings, thinking it was better to leave his friend alone to find Ron – he was stewing for sure.  
  
--------------------  
  
The week passed, Hagrid making a special trip for Harry to the Gringotts bank, and Harry could tell he felt pleased that Harry would entrust him with a mission carrying that much money. Hagrid cried for fifteen full minutes and left immediately.  
  
It was harder work sneaking back into Hogsmeade the next Saturday with Hermione since Ron strictly refused to accompany them, and had not been on speaking terms with Harry for the week since that first foray into the town.  
  
He eventually left with Hermione, making use of his father's Invisibility Cloak and some well placed innocent facial expressions. When they arrived at the store for the second time, he was trilling in excitement as the old man smiled, showing his various missing teeth; the box was wrapped in plain paper with spells to hex anyone who touched it besides Harry, Hermione, and Snape.  
  
The shopkeeper had kindly attached a roll of parchment inside the tiny box, explaining the working and use of the Ring, so that when Snape was given the gift he would know exactly what it was.  
  
They left the store with Harry's money bag much lighter than it had been when they walked in, and since they were already in the town, Hermione and Harry entered Honeydukes's to buy some candy. With the little money left over, Harry purchased – with Hermione's help – an apologetic gift for Ron.  
  
The bags were shrunk in weight and size for easier travel, and they began the walk back to the school. On the way back into Hogwarts was when they encountered their first problems.  
  
Snape materialized from the shadows as they entered the Entrance doors surreptitiously  
  
"And where have you two have been?" he asked smoothly, his eye glinting maliciously.  
  
"Outside," Hermione whimpered, shrinking away from the imposing figure of the Potions Master.  
  
"Caw," Harry supplied generously in aid to his friend.  
  
Snape glared malevolently in Harry's direction before his eyes reverted back to Hermione.  
  
"That wouldn't happen to be an invisibility cloak in your arms, would it, Ms. Granger?" he asked with silky venom.  
  
"Uh," she replied, fidgeting with the smooth cloth.  
  
"Twerp," Harry said, his eyes narrowing.  
  
"I didn't ask you Potter," Snape snarled. "I believe I was speaking to Ms. Granger."  
  
"It is," she finally said defiantly, lifting her chin.  
  
"And where would you need to go inside of the school ground that requires such a cloak?" Snape questioned, his black eyes gleaming.  
  
"We were hiding from Ron," she answered brightly.  
  
"I-why?" Snape asked, his train of though abruptly halted.  
  
"Because he's mad at us," Hermione said, raising an eyebrow as if it should be obvious.  
  
There was a startled gasp from behind the group, and Hermione and Harry watched with dismay at the gaping figure of their friend behind Snape's back.  
  
"Why, isn't this interesting," Snape purred, rubbing his chin with his long, cool fingers.  
  
"Fine!" Ron shouted. "I don't want to be your friends either if that's how you're going to treat me!" With that last shout he turned and ran off towards the Gryffindor towers.  
  
Harry looked downwards, he eyes shifting guiltily with Hermione's.  
  
"Ten points from Gryffindor for you both being suspicious, and a week of detention for both of you" Snape said with a smirk. "Now get out of here."  
  
As Hermione, with Harry perched on her shoulder, made to move off the same way Ron had left, Snape spoke up once more. "Potter, you will go directly to the dungeons," Severus purred. "There is something I need to speak to you about."  
  
With a disgusted look at Snape, Harry nodded his head to Hermione silently and with a shrill call, took off down the hallway, leaving both behind.  
  
Hermione moved away as well, but if Harry had cared to look back, he would have been startled at the sheer look of longing that passed briefly over Snape's face before disappearing behind his usual veneer of disinterest and annoyance.  
  
--------------------  
  
A/N: Took me a while to try to decide what kind of present would be suitable for Snape, and I finally figured it out! More to come, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. 


	4. Christmas Eve Day Debacle

**Title**: Twining Transformations  
  
**Author**: S.Malfoy  
  
**NOTE**: These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).  
  
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.  
  
**Note 2**: Well, since so many reviewers commented on how alike my story is to "The Familiar" I finally decided I should read it (since I had never heard of it before – still new to the slash scene). It was good, I'm sad to admit mine was similar, but it makes me more determined to make this particular plot unique to me. I hope you all still enjoy!  
  
**g0ldensnidget, a.k.a. Snitch**: Jeez, now I'm embarassed! That's the second time you've caught me. I even knew it didn't sound right, but thanks for the corrections. -blushes-

--------------------  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Christmas Eve Day debacle  
  
"Potter," Snape growled once the day was over and they were both settled in the dungeons.  
  
"Caw?" Harry questioned mutinously.  
  
"I know you went somewhere today," he purred evilly. "I will find out what you did, and I will make sure you pay. Just because our celebrity is stupid enough to get himself transformed into a bird doesn't mean the rules no longer apply to you."  
  
"Caw-twerp-tweep," Harry replied rebelliously, turning his back towards the lounging Potions Master.  
  
"Oh really?" Severus asked, glaring in fury. "Well, we'll just see who gets the upper hand!" With a swirl of his cloak he stormed into the bedroom, slamming the door.  
  
Harry hung his head in disappointment. _Looks like things will never change_.  
  
For the rest of the November month and into December, the tension was strained between Severus and his charge. Harry no longer went into the Potions class with him, instead he had already arrived by the time Snape entered. And he sat in the back of the room, closer to the two remaining –and tense - duo than to the Professor.  
  
Severus tried to pretend the slight didn't hurt. He withdrew most of his tender-loving-care, not that Harry seemed to notice the difference.  
  
But Harry did – but perhaps the Christmas break could heal some of the rift that had come between himself and Severus.  
  
-------------------  
  
_Christmas Break_  
  
During the Christmas break, both Ron and Hermione left for home, leaving Harry alone with Snape. Ron was still pouting, and both Harry and Hermione had tried to explain their actions in regret. He refused to listen to reason, and so it became just like it had during the Triwizard competition – Harry and Hermione had become closer, though they both felt the aching loss of their friend. But they refused to back down, and so it stayed stilted between the friends.  
  
Because of their renewed friendship, Harry got more studying done on the theories of magic – he could begin practicing the physical aspect as soon as he was transformed back into his human form.  
  
Hermione had helped Harry pick out special wrapping paper for Snape's present and had been pleasantly surprised when Harry gave her the Christmas present he had gotten on the sly – a journal, tuned into Hermione's own magical essence, would write itself automatically, whatever she happened to be feeling at the time. All she had to do was open the book. He was embarrassed at the tears that fell from her eyes in gratitude at the gift and gave him his own gift – a little maroon and gold bird sweater that she had sewn herself with little cut-outs for the wings. It was 'to keep him warm in the dungeons' she said.  
  
Ron left Hogwarts without exchanging gifts with either of them. He didn't invite Harry to visit the Burrow as well. Harry was pissed.  
  
He appreciated Hermione's gift as the dungeons went from pleasantly cool to down right chilly. Although he felt he could contribute some of the coldness to Snape's personality as well the weather.  
  
It was Christmas Eve, and for dinner Harry sat at the only table in the Great Hall next to Snape on a seat with books stacked so he could see over the edge. Only four other students had stayed behind for the holidays; three first years Harry only vaguely recognized, and Hannah Abbot from Hufflepuff.  
  
The Great Hall was decked out in all its glory; trees the size of mountains adorned each corner and streams of garland hung from the ceiling. Snow fell from the magically enhanced sky, and a homey feeling made Harry sweet with contentment.  
  
For the occasion, Dumbledore had insisted Harry don a miniature Santa hat that matched his maroon bird sweater, while forcing Snape to wear – much to his dismay – a pair of felt antlers. Severus scowled and snarled at everyone in the general vicinity and was altogether making everyone extremely uncomfortable. The week of detentions had been almost unbearable, and the antlers were not helping.  
  
But Harry was looking forward to spending Christmas morning with Severus; he could hardly wait to see his expression when Harry gave him his gift.  
  
Feeling the urge to splurge he grabbed a liver out of the bowl set in front of him, tearing into the soft meat happily. He didn't notice the faint frown of disgust on the other table members, steadily engrossed in his Almost Christmas dinner.  
  
Snape tried to hide his smile – a twist of the lips that was commonly mistaken for a smirk, but Harry noted the difference. His hope was brightened into beams of miniature shiny rays of sunlight that seemed to radiate off him in waves. Snape, who didn't like sunlight, tried to move away from the beams.  
  
But Harry never noticed and insisted on attacking a new spleen of an animal he chose not to identify – needless to say, people were wondering why one of the lower year Slytherins had been missing in action for a few days. He chuckled evilly.  
  
Dumbledore opened some poppers and crackers, sending great flurries of spaghetti and confetti into the air, only smiling when the students and teachers cried out as the spaghetti hit some in the head and face. Harry grabbed a meatball that plunked him on the head, smiling enigmatically at the pieces that fell out of his mouth.  
  
"Please, try to use some of those refined Gryffindor table manners," Snape remarked peevishly.  
  
The door opened and everyone turned to look at the new arrival – Draco Malfoy. Harry groaned, looking away. _What a way to ruin a party_, he muttered to himself.  
  
"Sorry I'm late everyone. Just had a few things to finish up before I could get here," he said, excusing himself.  
  
"It's quite alright Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said congenially, waving his hand to conjure up another seat. "Come join us."  
  
"Thank you, Headmaster," he replied politely. Harry made a gagging noise from beside the Potions Master, who glared at him in reprimand. Harry blinked his eyes innocently.  
  
"To bad we couldn't have pheasant for dinner," Malfoy murmured nastily from across the table. Snape smirked at Harry's disgusted look.  
  
"Caw-eep-tweet," Harry replied sweetly, ignoring the look of outrage on Severus' face.  
  
"Potter, that was quite unnecessary. Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape growled with a glare emanating from his dark eyes.  
  
"You can actually understand that, Professor?" Draco asked, puzzled.  
  
"Well, one gets the general idea, Draco," Snape replied, waving his hand indifferently and choosing another topic to start – potions of course.  
  
Harry tuned out the unfortunate discussion of one of his least favorite topics and instead centered on his favourite – mutilating the spleen in front of him. He attacked it viciously, envisioning it to be Draco Malfoy's face. It made the slime so much better tasting with that fantasy recording through his head.  
  
He didn't notice the slightly green tinge appear to the faces of his dinner partners, or the great sigh heaved at the conclusion of his meal. He looked up from the last scraps disappearing off of his plate, smiling his bird grin that he knew would melt the frown off of a troll. It was right on target – the faces softened and some even grinned back at him.  
  
As dinner ended, he looked hopefully up at Snape, into his dark eyes, pleading for an end to the feud that had begun between them. Wavering, Severus finally sighed and gave in, allowing Harry to crawl up his arm carefully to sit at his shoulder.  
  
_ I'm going soft in my old age_, he though spitefully.  
  
He shut his eyes, shaking his head, and avoiding the twinkling blue eyes of Dumbledore. He stood up, nodded a polite goodbye to Draco, and carried himself stiffly away from the table and down to the dungeons, his antlers bobbing in time to his footsteps. The little bell on the end of Harry's Santa hat jingled happily, and Snape smirked at picture.  
  
When they arrived to the dungeons, a comfortable silence had settled over the pair, and Snape sat in front of the fire with a large tome in his lap while Harry stared off into space. _It was companionable_, Harry thought with pleasure.  
  
Looking around the room, he realized there was no Christmas tree or any sort of holiday spirit anywhere in the dungeons. He warbled a little sigh, the first noise in over an hour between the two. Severus looked up in surprise, forgetting Harry had even been present in the room the silence had been so complete.  
  
"What is it?" he asked gruffly.  
  
"Caw-er-soup," Harry said softly.  
  
With a disgruntled sigh and a flick of his wand, Severus conjured up a small little Christmas tree in the corner of the room. It had tiny white blinking lights and a few glass bulbs dangling from its thin branches. A tiny silver bird sat atop the tree, its mouth opening and closing with a silent bird song. With no other expression on his face, he went back to reading, his dark eyes darting over the pages.  
  
Harry was filled with complete satisfaction. He hopped down ducked underneath his bird stand and opened a little drawer that had been filled with an assortment of toys and food. Digging with his beak, he pulled out a gaily wrapped Christmas present tenderly before waddling over to the tree and setting it underneath the branches on the little carpet. Severus pretended he didn't see the motion.  
  
Squeaking a happy sigh, he climbed gingerly back up to his wooden branch perch, dipping his beak into his water dish and lapping greedily. The spleen had made him a bit thirsty, and quenching his parchment, shut his eyes and arranged his neck in an impossible human trait and promptly fell asleep.  
  
He didn't notice the next tiny package that was placed underneath the tree, side by side to his own gift. Banking the fire, Severus took a long glance at the pitch black eagle resting so peacefully by the tree, squirming with a mixture of joy and utter disgust. It made his belly feel as if he had swallowed a bucket full of live worms, and it made him uncomfortable.  
  
_Stupid boy, won't even appreciate anything I give him anyways_, he tried to warn himself.  
  
It didn't work. That night he lay awake, his dark eyes glittering in the blanket of night, trying desperately to revive the apathy that had endured through days of pain and boredom alike. Instead, he finally fell asleep to dream of midnight flying with a shadow floating soothingly behind him.  
  
--------------------  
  
It was near dawn that the stealth strike attacked. No one could have predicted a student would ever have the influence or power to buy such an exorbitant cloak. But then again, most people underestimated the influence even a child could have.  
  
Under a guise disguising all body heat and human influences, the person easily penetrated Snape's protection. The spells the cloak could not protect and simply sidle by, were broken apart piece by piece. It took long hours of silent work, but the diligent person finally invaded the dungeons of the illustrious Professor Snape.  
  
Harry never even saw the attack coming, so deeply comfortable in his trust of Severus. A bag was thrown over his head, swallowing his muffled shrieks and cries, and there was a spell on the bag to deaden his own innate magical powers. So he resorted to physical violence, slashing his beak deeply into the woven strands of the cloth. But it only rebounded the natural weapon, and he futilely tried using his claws as well.  
  
Finally, he stopped, and found he had only succeeded in making himself exhausted. So he laid limply inside the bag, his breath exhaling in heaving gusts, his lungs winded. He heard soft, malicious laughter from the kidnapper.  
  
"Don't even try little bird. You won't escape me," a discombobulated voice echoed eerily beside him. He heard the soft patter of the person's feet on the stone abruptly stop and he realized they had left the safety of the school behind. He began struggling anew, his heart pounding with fear and fury.  
  
"Cut it out," came a harsh whisper along with a violent shake of the bag. Harry stopped fighting as his head was whipped annoyingly, and painfully, back and forth.  
  
There were slight crunching noises as they moved through the dew frosted grasses over the grounds.  
  
"Caw!" he tried to protest, but it came out muffled as his beak was clamped hard through the bag. He attempted to squawk in disgust but it only came out sounding obscene.  
  
It seemed to take forever for the sleuth to traverse throughout the grounds, and Harry would have been tapping one clawed foot in impatience if he'd had the room. The sounds changed from crunchy grass to the sound of a dead leaves being squashed underneath footfalls. He only knew the sounds because he had the acute hearing of a bird; that, and well, he didn't know what else would make a squish sound like that.  
  
Howls echoed through the night, and he shivered in sudden fear. _I'm not being taken into the Forbidden Forest am I? I am! Maybe there are Death Eaters waiting for me, ready to slash my bird body and leave it for the werewolves to eat. Bloody heel...er...hell. Well, the person is sort of a heel anyways...  
_  
His inner musings were halted as the kidnapper paused. Harry couldn't hear anyone else around, so he figured they must either be waiting for someone or the person had suddenly been struck by a bad case of amnesia. He hoped for the latter.  
  
Then, when the silence had grown heavy and his bladder was getting full, the bag was shifted and hung onto a hard surface. The draw-top was knotted and wrapped around what he assumed was a tree branch because he could feel the bag swaying.  
  
"Caw?" he tried to question.  
  
"Shut up, you stupid bird," the voice muttered, irritated.  
  
"Twerp?" he tried again.  
  
The voice didn't deign to answer, instead the person cackled in a quite alarming fashion. "Let's see how you like to spend the night in the Forest."  
  
"Twat," Harry muttered.  
  
He was rudely whacked upside the head and he yelped in surprise and pain. Then, suddenly, there was only silence.  
  
--------------------  
  
The next morning Severus woke up, startled at the heavy silence that enveloped the still dungeons. He was shocked; he had gone an entire night without a nightmare forcing him into consciousness. As far as he could remember, he hadn't had a single nightmare at all!  
  
Confused, he walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, his face relaxed from a night spent with hours without waking. He even decided to shampoo his hair twice, though not because he wanted to be presentable; he just decided he wanted his hair to be cleaner than usual.  
  
He brushed his teeth and used a drying spell that fluffed his hair gently around his severe face. He donned his usual robes and entered the large living area, surprised to see his swirling entrance wasted on an empty room. Frowning, he looked quickly into the lab areas that were joined with his personal offices. Finding no trace of Harry, he was beginning to become worried. Even if Harry had exited the rooms, Severus would have felt his presence through all the barriers that had been erected for his safety.  
  
That's when he felt it – the absolute vulnerability.  
  
He threw some of the Floo powder into the fireplace and stuck his head inside, calling out the 'Headmaster's personal quarters'.  
  
"Headmaster Dumbledore," Severus requested, waiting only a moment before Albus answered.  
  
"Yes, Severus, can I help you?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.  
  
"Headmaster, there's a problem," Snape said seriously.  
  
His eyes immediately hardened. "What's happened?"  
  
"Someone has taken Harry."  
  
--------------------  
  
A/N: Wooo, I wonder who it was? –Shrugs- You'll just have to wait and see!  
  
And did Harry really eat the spleen of a missing Slytherin? Only time will tell!


	5. Rescue Mission 304

**Title**: Twining Transformations  
  
**Author**: S.Malfoy  
  
**NOTE:** These are not my characters, they are J.K Rowling's, and I make no money off of them whatsoever. However, it is my plot (at least hopefully haha).  
  
It is a slash between SS/HP, seen later in the story, so you are warned.  
  
--------------------  
  
**Chapter 5**  
  
_Rescue Mission #304_  
  
"Ark," Harry muttered, his eyes wandering over the dark inside of his tiny woven prison. The Forbidden Forest was strangely silent and Harry was beginning perspire, his skin itching and feathers twitching uncomfortably in the hot, stilted air trapped inside the bag. Every few minutes though a strong wind would seep through the material, the bag swaying desperately, and then Harry would become chilled before sweating again. Once he was sure the bag did a complete flip around the branch, and squawked shrilly as the bag was thrown carelessly around.  
  
_ Just my luck. On Christmas Eve and I had to go and get bird-napped; now I won't get to open my presents yet_, Harry thought wistfully.  
  
He was morosely pondering the possibility of Snape opening his present before Harry arrived when he heard a dull thud close by. He immediately jerked to attention.  
  
"Caw?" he tried futilely.  
  
He stuck his beak against the thin bag, trying to smell the air through the material and was surprised. It smelled a distinct blend of human and animal...  
  
There was a loud tear and as Harry fell to the ground in a downward spiral he only caught a blur of darkness before his head struck a rock and his mind went blank.  
  
--------------------  
  
Severus was ordered to appear in Dumbledore's offices as soon as physically possible while Albus called upon the other professors.  
  
Since he had already gotten dressed earlier, he quickly flooed to the office and began pacing agitatedly in front of the fireplace while the other teachers were gathered. Minerva had imbibed a bit much that night – owning to the Christmas spirit she said – and had a hard time focusing on the conversation.  
  
Snape smirked; he had a belt underneath his robes with various potions for practically every situation imaginable. He could have given her a hangover potion to clear her head, but decided against it with a malicious smile.  
  
"We have a problem; Harry had been bird-napped," Dumbledore said, his blue eyes serious; the twinkle had fled once the news had been relayed that Harry has no where inside Hogwarts. Dumbledore had made it his own personal knowledge that Harry's magical signature had faded; it hardened his mouth in a stern line and his eyes went the color of steel.  
  
The other teachers drew back at the feral look in his eyes; it had only once had Snape seen such anger, and he was doubly glad he had never been on the receiving end of such power.  
  
"Do we know if he's anywhere inside the walls of Hogwarts?" Minerva questioned a bit hesitantly.  
  
"He is no longer in the castle, I have checked it myself," Dumbledore stated quietly. "We will begin the search the surrounding area immediately."  
  
They all nodded and were assigned locations; Minerva had the Quidditch Pitch; Flitwick the broom shed; Vector the Owlery; Hagrid was sent to Hogsmeade with his crossbow tucked tightly inside his coat; Dumbledore and Snape had taken over the task of entering Forbidden Forest.  
  
They both withdrew their wands and moved stealthily towards the edge of the Forest, and Snape noticed a track of small footprints in the crackled dew. Dumbledore nodded silently; they both realized the only feet that would have been small enough to make the tracks were those of a student.  
  
They followed the trail, each casting a silence spell on their own steps in the rare case that the kidnapper was still nearby. Only upon nearing the Forest did they lose sight of the steps leading inside. Even as the sun began to rise, the Forest stayed dark, and Snape quickly whispered '_Lumos_', a light flaring dimly at the tip of his wand.  
  
Dumbledore murmured a quick tracking spell, pointing towards the indented footsteps and a bright light flared briefly before settling to a soft glow. They silently followed the way shown, and it was a full fifteen minutes before the trail of footsteps abruptly ended. Severus' heart was clinched the entire time, dread sitting cold in his roiling stomach. What he saw did not help matters much.  
  
A small bag was tied tightly around a hanging tree branch, with a side viciously slashed open and a small puddle of blood lie dormant on the ground. Snape drew in a harsh breath and his hand tightened painfully around his wand, bending it threateningly.  
  
"Calm yourself, Severus," Dumbledore murmured, never once taking his eyes from the blood. He leaned down, his eyes squinting in the dim light of the fading footsteps and Snape's wand.  
  
"Look here – centaur tracks."  
  
--------------------  
  
Harry was truly frightened in an amused sort of way; in bird form, he was tied tightly to a long stick and held outstretched between two trotting centaurs. They both had identical dark brown fur, with black mane and tail; the only difference is that one had green eyes and the other had yellow.  
  
"Caw-ers?" he asked around the gag tying his beak together.  
  
None of the horse men answered, silently trekking through the forest at breakneck speed. His wings were painfully digging into his sides, the bones squashed and shifting with each step taken.  
  
"Twerps," he growled with a glare.  
  
One of the centaurs he actually recognized smirked back. It was a grey centaur, his face hard and twisted in a snarl and Harry would recognize the bloody face anywhere – it was Bane.  
  
"Cane," he mumbled.  
  
They all stopped abruptly, knowing what he had meant.  
  
"How do you know my name, little bird?" Bane grumbled, his face shoved forward towards Harry's. How he could guess what Harry tried to say was beyond him; but he supposed it was from living in a weird, magical forest all of his life.  
  
Harry tried to shrug, but his shoulders were too stiff to try.  
  
"What is your name then?" Bane questioned roughly, his eyes on the white lightening bolt slashed across his forehead.  
  
"Carry-" Harry began, and then stopped, his face twisted. "C-Harry," he finally spit out.  
  
They backed away for a moment, and then Bane smirked happily. "Ah, Harry Potter, once again coming into our forest!" he cried.  
  
The other centaurs mumbled in agreement, and Harry blinked innocently.  
  
"Caw?" he tried, acting bird-like once more. It didn't fool them. Bane was prancing around happily. "Now the elders will have to listen!" he sang gleefully. "We get to have a bon fire tonight, men!"  
  
The other centaurs cheered - probably because they wanted to eat the charred remains of Harry later he supposed - and Harry rolled his eyes. _Why does this always seem to happen to me?_ he wondered ruefully.  
  
--------------------  
  
Snape sent a flare into the air, letting the other teachers know they were on the trail while Dumbledore set a new tracking spell for the hooves of the centaurs that were clustered in a confused mass around the area. They could make out the general direction they were headed in, and immediately set out for _Rescue Mission # 304: Save Harry-the-bird from mad Centaurs_.  
  
The duo began walking as quickly as possible, noting the little drops of blood scattered every now and then, and once even found a dark bird feather lying helplessly on the ground. Severus bent down, picking up the soft feather and rubbing it between his fingertips gently, before sticking it deep inside his robe pocket. If Dumbledore noticed, he chose not to say anything, much to Snape's relief.  
  
They traveled well over two hours unscathed as the presence of Dumbledore was a great deterrent to most mischievous animals. Every half an hour Snape's partner sent up a brief flare, letting them know they were still safe and on the trail.  
  
Finally, Dumbledore paused and came to a stop outside of the range of the guarding centaurs, motioning Snape closer into the shadows.  
  
"I need you to transform yourself," Dumbledore said quietly. "We need a brief diversion and then we'll attack once the other teachers have arrived." Albus sensed, with his great omnipotent power, that the pack of teachers were less than half an hour behind them.  
  
So as they waited impatiently, Severus changed into his pale eagle form with the Dark Mark, his clothing dropping to the ground underneath him. He had never quite managed to transform his articles of clothing along into his bird form as Minerva was apt to do.  
  
Dumbledore made sure the troop's footfalls were silent and they gathered underneath that large brush of one tree. Most of the teachers had shown up – Minerva, Flitwick, Vector, Allsac (the DADA teacher), and for some reason, Trelawney. There they made their plan of attack.  
  
--------------------  
  
Harry decided he didn't like being tied to a stake with firewood gathered around him. With his awful luck, the ancient elders had decided they were hungry and in need a good bird burning. So there he was, trussed up and tired, his delicate wing bones aching and his bladder full. The robes closed unnervingly tight around his middle, squeezing his tolerance to a new level.  
  
"Rerp," he tried to point out to any horseman that would listen. "Eerp- caw-eep-lop!" he swore when his presence was ignored.  
  
Then suddenly above, there was a great white eagle that shrieked-loudly- its displeasure at the scene. Mystified, Harry watched with a bright gaze as it circled overhead, its presence sending dismay throughout the pack of centaurs. At that same time when all the centaurs began shouting and pointing skyward, it let loose a bomb of slick white fluid, dripping disgustingly over the faces and into the mouths of the stampeding horde of horsemen.  
  
At the moment the 'bombs' went off overhead and schism of red light went off erratically from the outer edges of the forest. He could hear the bleating cries of the centaurs that rushed away...but not before one of them had a chance to throw a torch onto the firewood gathered around Harry's stifled body.  
  
Shrilly screeching, he let his panic be known. He tried sending a shower of water down to the fire, but only managed to conjure dew, and made himself damp and sticky. So he tried the next best thing – blowing forcefully through his beak and tiny nostril holes.  
  
Up above Severus could see Harry was in trouble, and no teachers were around the help quench the fire, busy struggling with the remaining centaurs that had rushed forward to attack.  
  
He swooped low, still circling, looking for the best angle to rescue the boy. He noticed the fire hadn't yet reached behind the bird and dived down. Using his beak and talons, he ripped apart the ropes binding him to the stake. He wasn't quick enough to avoid getting his tail feathers burned slightly though – and shrieking in outrage quickly flew up into the air, waiting for Harry to join him. But after hours of being tied up in a bag and later tied to a piece of fire wood, Harry was in no condition to fly.  
  
Harry whimpered in pain, his shoulders impossibly tight and his wing muscles cramped. He looked upwards, imploring Severus to help him, his eyes frightened as the fire climbed higher towards the stake he stood next to.  
  
Again, Severus made a spectacular dive towards Harry, his talons clenching onto Harry's slim bird shoulders, and lifted off into the air, digging painfully while he struggled for leverage. Harry tried to make himself as light as possible by holding absolutely still – which meant absolutely nothing in the scheme of things.  
  
It was a tense moment while Severus struggled to rise into the air, his wings outstretched impressively – and then they plummeted straight towards the earth. Landing in a disgruntled heap, Severus pushed Harry off of him and out of the way with his beak, grumbling in embarrassment. Harry was only happy to be out of the mini inferno that was raging on where he had once been tied. He gave a happy sigh of relief, deciding the ground was very comfortable and relaxing for the first time that day.  
  
The other teachers finished up with the centaurs, the camp now deserted except for the eight of them. Trelawney floated over to them, her eyes wide with comic disbelief. She glared briefly at Snape, and then turned to the Harry's bird body, moaning in sorrow.  
  
"Oh, to think that you had almost been burned alive," she groaned, wrapping Harry in a tight embrace, Harry's face pressed firmly against her bosom. Harry didn't know if she was saddened that he had escaped with his life or rather that he had been tied up. He had an instinct it was the former rather than latter.  
  
"Yea, good luck there Harry," Allsac said with a huge grin. He had average looking features, and was a decidedly bland man who taught the exact way he looked. He had brown eyes, brown hair, lightly tanned skin, and was only a medium height with a medium sort of energy. All in all, he was just a mediocre guy who was happy enough with his lot in life.  
  
Harry's muffled greeting came out sounding like "Ballsac" to which Severus wheezed in laughter while Harry grimaced in embarrassment. Allsac waved it away with a smile.  
  
Dumbledore arrived with a tired smile on his face. "Glad to see you're okay Harry. Thank you, Severus, for your fine handy-work."  
  
Severus grunted, his eyes narrowing in suspicion at the double-edged compliment. It was Allsac's turn to muffle his laughter while Snape glared threateningly in his white eagle form.  
  
"Harry, do you know who bird-napped you?" Minerva asked after extracting him from Trelawney's enthusiastic embrace.  
  
Harry shook his head, indicating he had no clue. "Do you have any idea who might have done this to you?" she questioned after the negative answer.  
  
Harry raised a bird eyebrow that appeared from no where before it disappeared again.  
  
"Besides Draco Malfoy," she clarified.  
  
Snape glared at Harry in disgust.  
  
Harry just shook his head again. Minerva sighed in disappointment. Ba...er...Allsac just smiled at everyone. Trelawney predicted everyone's death within the next two minutes due to an explosion. Dumbledore twinkled thoughtfully. Snape growled in the general vicinity of the entire cluster of teachers. Flitwick turned a large tree branch into a floating carpet. Harry decided he needed to relieve his bladder.  
  
As he finished up his business, he arrived back just in time to see Severus changing back into his human form...naked. His mouth dropped open in astonishment while his eyes darkened in lust. _Who knew Snape had such a great body? And why hadn't they told him?_ He wondered in dismay.  
  
This was a man he had respected and admired from afar – make that a long, long distance away in a galaxy at the end of a new millennium. But, Harry always knew that Severus had always saved him when he needed help the most, despite the fact he hated Harry, Harry's father, Harry's mother, Harry's Godfather, Harry's friends – well, basically everyone Harry knew.  
  
Deciding it was high time someone showed some sort of support to the Death Eater spy, Harry dived down and landed right in Snape's naked lap to the surprise of everyone there - except Dumbledore of course. Nuzzling his head against Severus' chest, Harry looked up into his severe face, happiness beaming in little doses of sunlight again. Snape sighed, gave Harry a pat on the head before he gently set him aside, and stood up to don his clothing while the other teachers gave him a bit of privacy.  
  
_ I really am going mental_, Snape decided, trying to ignore the little flicker of warmth that kindled to life inside of his cold heart. He brushed his hand absently across his chest, still sensitive to the warmth from the little bundle of bird that had cuddled against his chest so trustingly with a smile.  
  
--------------------  
  
Light eyes that whirled with madness peered from the darkness of the surrounding trees, a grimace playing on soft lips. _Damn Dumbledore and those stupid Professors! I will find a way to get to Harry...the Dark Lord is not going to be pleased. But, maybe he'll find the information that one of his most trusted spies has had Harry in his clutches for months now and never thought to bring it to his attention. Well, if that's the case, I'll finally get to Harry through someone he loves...Professor Snape.  
_  
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A/N: -dun dun dun- (scary music) Who is this unknown assailant, and why are they so bent on revenge? Soon to come...Christmas presents...revenge...love scenes...oh joy! 


End file.
